How to Know Your Skin Type: A Guide for Men

Do you know your skin type? You’ll need to ask yourself this question if your regular skincare products no longer seem to work and new ones offer no improvement. It’s usually because your skin is transitioning from one type to another: often oily to normal or normal to dry. Or maybe you’ve moved to a different climate.

When Skin Type Changes

Skincare products are formulated for five basic skin types: normal, dry, oily, combination, and sensitive. But determining which will satisfy your skin’s needs exactly at any given time is often easier said than done.

Skin quality is affected by hormonal fluctuations and, sometimes, seasonal and climatic factors. For example, normal skin types may experience dryness during cold weather. Most men go from being oily and acne prone in their early teens to normal in their late teens or early twenties. By late middle age, slowing sebum production results in dryness.

When your skin changes, the first thing you’re likely to notice is that your usual skincare products seem less effective. This is where the confusion begins: how can you be sure that it’s your skin that has changed and not the products? After all, brands do sometimes alter their formula. And how can you reassess your skin type in order to realign your skincare regimen?

The answer lies in the skin type test, which is as simple as a tissue and little time.

How to Do a Skin Type Test

A skin type test is best done in the morning on a day when you have a couple of hours to spare.

To accurately assess skin type and condition, it’s important that you begin with a clean face. Instead of carrying out your usual skincare regimen, cleanse with a facewash that has a pH level of 5.5. Don’t apply any further products, no matter how your skin looks or feels.

Wait at least 30 minutes, after which your skin will show characteristics typical of its condition or type.

In a well lit room, blot your face with a tissue (e.g., a Kleenex) and compare what you see with the below descriptions.

How to Know If Your Skin Type Is “Normal”

The tissue is void of excess oil after blotting.
Your face is blemish free.
Pores are fine and barely detectable.
Your face feels relaxed and comfortable.

How to Keep Normal Skin Healthy

If this is you, congratulations! You have the ideal skin type.

This was me, too, until a few years ago.

As a man, I never considered it appropriate to take special care of my skin. According to the motto “why fix it if it ain’t broken,” I washed my face with soap every morning under the shower, and that was it. But if I’d taken a little more care, I’d probably have fewer wrinkles today.

What Would I Have Done Differently?

I could have used a light moisturizer with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 to protect my face from the elements as well as from the drying effect of central heating, which affects all skin types.

And I could have cleansed with either a superfatted soap, as I do now, or a pH neutral facewash.

What Not to Do

Contrary to popular belief, heavier than necessary moisturizers will not ward against the ravages of time. Instead, sebum production will slow down, resulting in dryness and, ultimately, premature aging.

Similarly, using astringent cleansers and toners as a precaution against acne breakouts can cause oiliness or, worse still, inflammation (see below).

A box of tissues, which will help you know your skin type. — Knowing your skin type is as simple as a tissue and little time.

How to Know If Your Skin Type Is “Dry”

The tissue is void of excess oil after blotting.
The skin may appear thin, flaky, and dull.
Smiling causes crinkling around the eyes.
Pores seem invisible.
Your face begins to feel taut moments after washing.

How to Care for Dry Skin

Dry skin is exacerbated by harsh weather, central heating, air conditioning, hot water, and sun exposure.

Use a rich moisturizer formulated specifically for dry skin.

The problem with light textured creams and lotions is that they bloat dry skin, causing it to crack. This can make it prone to bacteria and infections, which may lead to breakouts.

If dryness is only a seasonal problem (the result of cold weather), apply a barrier cream suitable for your usual skin type. Due to a greater concentration of occlusive agents, which sit on the skin rather than penetrating it, these creams shield against the elements, and can be worn over regular moisturizer.

As a man, you probably don’t want to wear powder, but you don’t want your face to appear greasy, either. Therefore, apply only a thin layer of cream, wait 5-10 minutes for it to settle, then blot with a tissue to take off shine.

Mature Skin

For me and most mature men, dryness is a result of aging. It’s when sebum production slows down, causing the face to feel taut.

This is when you should apply a day cream in the morning and a night cream before going to bed. The latter is richer and without an SPF.

After some experimentation, almond oil and urea seem to be the most effective active ingredients for me.

I find moisturizers marketed specifically for men too fragranced and far too light for aging skin. I therefore choose unisex products.

How to Know If Your Skin Type Is “Oily”

Excess oil is evident throughout the tissue after blotting.
Your face is shiny and feels slick to the touch.
You look pasty.
Pores are enlarged.
You are prone to acne—constant presence of spots, whiteheads, and/or blackheads (especially around the nose).

How to Care for Oily Skin

Although oily skin tends not to be sensitive, you still need to protect it from the elements. Apply an oil-free moisturizing gel or lotion formulated specifically for problem skin. This also helps prevent flakiness caused by topical acne medications.

Harsh ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid can lead to severe redness and peeling. In this case, consult a medical practitioner who can prescribe or recommend a product that is milder but still effective. A retinoid like Adapalene could be your answer.

You could also try home remedies in conjunction with conventional treatments. These focus on mobilizing sebum and drawing out impurities rather than on drying out the skin.

Inflammation and How My Skin Transitioned from “Oily” to “Normal”

There are times when we can easily misidentify our skin type.

I started to get spots at the age of 12 and became an avid user of medicated soaps and astringent lotions, which kept the problem under control.

But when I reached my later teens, my skin seemed to worsen. It always felt taut, appeared thick and dull textured, and I was never without a couple of inflamed boil-like spots somewhere on my face. These were under the skin’s surface and would take forever to heal.

When common sense struck, I quit the medicated soaps and astringents and tried milder products formulated for sensitive skin. The discomfort vanished almost immediately, and my skin was normal within a few weeks.

How to Know If You Have “Combination” Skin

After blotting, the cheeks appear void of excess oil and may feel taut, while the forehead, nose, upper lip, and chin prove oily. This is known as the “t-zone,” where you may also be prone to acne.

How to Care for Combination Skin

You’ll find many skincare products available for combination skin. If none are effective, use separate formulas for each facial area. That is, treat the t-zone as oily and acne-prone, and the rest as dry or normal accordingly.

A man wet shaving. — If you prefer to wet shave in spite of sensitive skin, apply a pre-shave oil beneath your soap, foam, or gel in order that it acts as a barrier.

How to Know If You Have “Sensitive” Skin

You won’t come to know your skin type through the tissue test alone if your skin is sensitive. This is why it’s important that you also consider how your it feels and behaves.

If the test indicates normal or dry skin, but you often experience redness, rashes, and/or itching after applying certain products, you most likely have sensitive skin. Constant razor bumps and burn are another sure sign.

And although oily skin tends to be thick and robust, it may be sensitive around the eyes and nose. These areas will need to be treated separately from the rest of the face.

How to Care for Sensitive Skin

Use products formulated specifically for sensitive or allergy-prone skin. These are free of irritants like fragrance, alcohol, and other astringents.

If you tend to dryness, you’ll need a rich moisturizer, but make sure it’s suitable for sensitive skin.

Dry shaving is probably the better option, but if you prefer to wet shave, apply a pre-shave oil beneath your lubricant (soap, foam, or gel), which will act as a barrier. Alternatively, you could grow a beard.

Be sure to always carry out a 12-hour patch test before applying new products to your face.

How to Do a Patch Test

Wash your inner elbow or behind one ear and dry.
Apply the new product to the cleansed area and allow to absorb.
If you experience blistering, swelling, redness, or any other irritation during the next 12 hours, the product is not suitable for your skin and should be removed immediately.

How to Know Your Skin Type: Results at a Glance

Skin Type	Characteristics
Normal	The tissue is void of excess oil after blotting. Your complexion is blemish-free. Pores are fine and barely detectable. Your face feels relaxed and comfortable.
Dry	The tissue is void of excess oil after blotting. The skin may appear thin, flaky, and dull. Smiling causes crinkling around the eyes. Pores seem invisible. Your face begins to feel taut moments after washing.
Oily	Excess oil is evident throughout the tissue after blotting. The skin is shiny and feels slick to the touch, and you appear pasty. Pores are enlarged. You are prone to acne—constant presence of spots, whiteheads, and/or blackheads (especially around the nose).
Combination	The cheeks appear dry and may feel taut, while the forehead, nose, upper lip, and chin prove oily after blotting. This is known as the “t-zone,” where you may also be prone to acne.
Sensitive	You often experience redness, rashes, and/or itching after shaving and using certain products.